Post navigation

Caught in a negative cycle – how to escape!

Mother said there would be days like this, but she never said there would be an entire week from hell. Well, not that bad really, but last week I began to wonder what I’d done to displease the gods of the appliances and electronics.

First I plunked my bacon in the microwave like I do every morning and it began to purr. Suddenly I heard a little pop and it went dead – no little light, nothing. I counted up – twelve years old and I guess it just died a natural death. No problem – it can be replaced for about $49 these days. (Besides, I shouldn’t be eating bacon so regularly anyway – the grease had probably stopped up the works, not to mention my own.)

The phone rang – an angry new tenant was trying to move into a rental unit and the electric department refused to connect their power. Seems the power pole was damaged and I had to get an electrician – to the tune of about $600 an hour. It got fixed before dark but cost me a whopping $814 dollars.

A sudden wind storm blew in and toppled a tree in my back yard – that would run another $500 to get it cut and removed. On top of all this my hot rod – a necessity for doing my hair – decided it wanted to join the microwave in appliance heaven. Oh gee. Would the negatories never end? What next?

We all have those days when life hands us one frustration after another, as though we’ve been possessed by some kind of negative force that brings mayhem to even the simplest tasks. The tailspin begins with something small and the next thing you know, your mood has quickly taken a turn for the worse and every glitch seems like a tsunami.

Fortunately there are things you can do to change your mental direction according to life coach Cheryl Richardson. When you find yourself feeling out of sorts, she suggests one of the following actions and see what happens:

1. Clear the air. Do something to shift your energy. Take a shower, change your clothes, or tidy up your office. If you’re at home, vacuum the living room, open a window, or even change the sheets on your bed. As you take these simple actions, imagine yourself clearing energy blocks that might be fueling the bad cycle.
2. Get into motion. One of the quickest ways to change your mental state is to get up and move your body. For example, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, resist the temptation to work even harder to get organized. Instead, take a brisk walk or go for a bike ride. When you do, you’ll find that exercise enhances your ability to focus making you better able to tackle your situation later on with clarity and ease.
3. Shift your thinking. If it’s true that our thoughts create our circumstances, then you’ll want to shift your negative thoughts to positive ones as quickly as you can. Recall a favorite childhood song and start singing it out loud (Trust me, belt out “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I Luv Ya’, Tomorrow” and you will instantly begin to feel better.) Or, you could pick up an inspirational book, open to any page and start reading. For some people, taking a nap can do the trick. When you wake up you can pretend it’s a new week and hope the bad streak is over.
4. Put on some music. There’s nothing that shifts the mood quicker than music.

Finally, while there are many things you can do to shift a temporary bad mood, sometimes we need to honor the fact that a low mood may be an indication of something deeper. For example, if you’ve experienced a recent loss, you may need to have a good, long cry. Just like a wound that needs time to heal, sometimes our moods are an indication that our heart needs space, rest, or the loving support of someone who cares. A good pet will suffice in most cases.

I’m still functioning without a microwave. What really ticks me off is that I had just purchased a case of microwave dinners on sale at Walmart. They are living rent free in my freezer.

One thought on “Caught in a negative cycle – how to escape!”

Daddy will loan you his microwave…he hardly ever uses it! I had a day like yours involving plumbing, airconditioing and furniture… I just turned on a sitcom rerun and put it out of mind with some laughter. Sometimes, denial is a good thing.